The Colorado Springs GazetteThe Gazette is Colorado Springs's most trusted source for breaking news, sports, weather, obituaries, politics, business, art, entertainment, blogs, video, photos.Save this content for laterSave this content on your device for later, even while offlineSign in with GoogleSign in with your Google accountSign in with FacebookSign in with your Facebook accountClose

I just don't get it. Your Viewpoint column this morning (May 7) was all about an underpass for Colorado College Students. No mention was made of considering, instead of an underpass, a pedestrian overhead walkway.

In case no one has noticed, there is a very effective overhead pedestrian walkway across I-25 and the railroad tracks, just west of the school.

It makes sense, to me at least, that the overhead 'bridge ' would be much less expensive, and without the security-enhancements necessary in a tunnel. There would be no need for extensive lighting, security cameras, and 'panic levers. '

An underpass would not be a one-time investment, because there would be the need of a central security office and someone monitoring the cameras 24/7.

As a recent letter suggested, Colorado College should perhaps pay for the designated solutions. And, yes, that's plural, since we're talking about two streets (Nevada and Cascade).

Tom Stockman, Colorado Springs

-

Traffic at CC is scary

Reference: 'The Gazette's Viewpoint ' that advocates an underpass at CC on Cascade. Scary! It would be cheaper to teach the students their primary colors. They cross against green and against red. I have been driving Cascade more lately because of the construction on Nevada.

Most of the students abide by the pedestrian crosswalks and most of the drivers also do the same but it is scary. I think an underpass is a plan for problems. Check out underpasses in the city, and they are places for drugs, drug dealers, graffiti and other dangerous things.

I, personally, I wouldn't ever use an underpass. The notion of 'working group ' (working?) is nebulous. They further want to change traffic on Weber. Huh?

Mary Goulet, Colorado Springs\

-

Human beings, not some aberration

Homosexuality is overwhelming 'our ' culture?

Will Perkins, in his May 6 letter, states that 'homosexuality is an aberration: that is a deviation from the norm '. The word aberration was carefully chosen because of its negative connotation.

There are many people in this world that deviate from the norm. A genius, such as Albert Einstein, deviates from the norm. Children born with Down syndrome deviate from the norm. Married, heterosexual couples who choose to remain childless, deviate from the norm. Should these people be labeled with the word 'aberration '? One would hope not.

Fear is another tool that Perkins employs in his opinion piece. He would lead parents to believe that their sons are in some sort of danger because admitted homosexuals are being considered for admission to the Boy Scouts.

In Perkins' opinion, chaperoning events will be problematic because 'you don't know who the players are '. The fact is, based on statistical probabilities; there are thousands of homosexual boys in the Boy Scouts already. In other words, chaperones have not known who the players are since the inception of the Boy Scouts.

Homosexuals are human beings, not some aberration.

They are our brothers and sisters, our sons and daughters, our colleagues and friends, and sometimes even our parents. Homosexuals deserve the same opportunity and protection under the laws of this great country that the rest of us enjoy.

If this means that we change our culture, than change we must.

Laurence Wutt, Colorado Springs

-

Can't make one's voice heard

I have resided in Congressional District 5 for the past 31 years. I often send comments to Rep. Doug Lamborn via his congressional website http://lamborn.house.gov/contact-doug/ where there is a drop-down list from which you can select the option 'I would like to leave a comment. ' After one selects this option, a form displays where you enter your name, etc., and a box where you write your message.

When you select the submit button, a new page is supposed to display with a 'Thank you ' from the congressman plus the text of your message.

One also receives an email in their email box with an acknowledgement that their message was received.

For the past three weeks this has not been happening: When you write your message and select the submit button, the email form just redisplays and you never receive an acknowledgement in your personal email.

I find it utterly amazing that no one in Rep. Lamborn's Washington office has noticed - over a three-week period - that they have received no email comments.

I have contacted Rep. Lamborn's Washington office three times via phone, and the problem has still not been resolved.

They did inform me that he has changed his email provider, but any company that takes over three weeks to set up an email system should not be in the business.

I have written a letter to the congressman about this.

The ability to make one's voice heard in Congressional District 5 is dead.